Track-torpedo.



' PATENTED JUNE 19, 1906. W. 1). JACKSON. TRACK TORPEDO. lg APPLICATION I'ILEHDEQZG. i903.

. TI'NITED STATES "smea- WIL'rON n. JAcKsON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR To FRANK BUTCHER, or VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA.

To'all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILTON D. JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in Phila delphia, Pennsylvania, have invented cer 'tain Improvements in Track-Torpedoes, of

am 25w 3 M which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tracktorpedoes which are designed to be mounted upon railway or trolley tracks to serve as signals for approaching trains or cars. The object of my invention is to provide an efficient torpedo that may be readily mounted in place, that will act under all conditions, and being constructed of' non-metallie material will be absolutely harmless when exploding.

'' My invention is fully shown in the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a perspective view in full size of my improved track-torpedo. Fig. 2 is a central cross-sectional view of Fig. 3." Fig. 3 is a longitudinal side elevation, partly in section and drawn to the same scale as Fig. 2. 4 is a view showing a section of rail 'with the tor edo mounted in operative position with re ation thereto.

The object of my invention is to provide a harmless track-torpedo designed to serve as a signal in railroading. As heretofore constructed, track-tor edoes have usually been made'of metal an accidents have very frequently happened due to the flight of portion of the metal during or succeeding the explosion of the torpedo.

The object of my invention is to increase the efliciency of a torpedo of this character and at the same time render it absolutely harmless. The torpedo made in accordance with my invention consists of a tube 1, which Imaybe of aper, fabric a ier-mach, wood, 1' 0" 'or other simi ar su stance suita ly repared,

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 26, 1903. Serial No. 186.724.

TRACK-TORPEDO.

. I Patented June 19, 1906.

available for use inall kinds of Weather. The torpedo is held to the rail by means of a stri of fiexiblefimat eri al, such as 135d, (indicate at 4iii t e accom an awings and while the lead may lib h l d in place in several different ways I prefer to provide a secondary or sup lementary tube 5, which will. encircle the tu e 1, carrying the detonating material,

method of securing the lead in place. This outer tube is also waterproof and maybe prothis latter condition. In lieuof a complete the lead stri s place.

In lieu of aper the tubes may tubes may be made of some suitable composisame force. In lieu of the strip of lead to engage the .head of the rail, I may provide any suitable form of metallic wire or band to secure said torpedo in place. The strips of lead 4 are folded a ainst the torpedo when it is arrangedfor paciing and transportation, and this folding maybe in the manner shown, or they may be folded in the opposite direction so that their ends will not project beyond the ends of the torpedo.

readily destroyed, sm 1 as paper, sized fabric, and the like, all dai ger of injury resulting from flying portions of the usual metal torpedo is avoided.

Havin thus descr Ied my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a nononatingmaterial, means for securing said torpedo to the head of a rail, and means encircling the body of said torpedo for retaining said securing means thereto.

, 2. As a new article of manufacture, a trackand will thereby provide an inexpensivevided with an extra coatof varnish to insure tube I may provide tubular bands-tosecure metallic track-tor edo,having afilling of dete made of some suita lefa'bric which will disintegrate under the force of the explosion'and the plugs for the ends of the tion which will be ground to powder by the By making the torpedo-case of material I tor edo comprising a casing of paper having a a fi ling of detonating der pressure, means to the head of a rail, and means encircling the ing means thereto.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a tracktorpedo of tubular shape, having a filling of body of said torpedo for retaining said sec'urmaterial exploding unor securing said torpedo IOO detonating material-=exploding under pres; sure, means for securing it to the head of a rail, and means encircling the body of the torpedo for retaining said securing means thereto. 7

4. As a new article of manufacture, a tracktor edo comprising a tube of waterproof material, detonatin material exploding under pressure di'spose within said tube, securing means for the ends of the tube, means for holdin the torpedo to the rail, and means encircling the body of the torpedo for retaining said securing means thereto.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a tracktorpedo comprising a waterproof tube having detonating material within the same, plugs for preventing the escape of such detonating material, a secondary tube also of waterproof material encircling the main tube, and a strip of material for securing the torpedo to the head of the rail confined by said secondary tu e.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a track- Q torpedo consisting of a body of waterproof paper carrying a detonatingsubstance exploding under pressure, means for confining said detonating material within the water proof envelop, a secondary waterproof envelop inclosing the first, and a metallic strip for securing the torpedo to the rail, said strip being confined to the torpedo by the secondary envelop.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a tracktorpedo consisting of a tube of waterproof being co ed to the torpedo by the seconda tube. 8. a new article of manufacture, a nonmetallic track-torpedo having a filling of detonating material, metallic means for securing said torpedo to the head of a rail, and a non-metallic means passing around the body of the torpedo and retaining said securing means thereto.

-9. A non-metallic track-torpedo having a rail-engaging strap disposed on its under side, and means completely encircling the body of the torpedo to retain the rail-engaging strap 'iii lace.

testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. WILTON D. JACKSON. Witnesses:

MURRAY 0. Bornn, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

